each successful attack.

Bonus: Ice s.h.i.+eld

Immune to Nether Effects

Immune to Control Effects

Special Effect: [Enhance Mana]

Nebs slipped the armor on, her mouth opening wide in surprise. "Two forms?"

Nix nodded. "Don't tell anyone until after I finish the rest of the upgrades; the second form comes at the expense of an additional enhancement. I thought you'd like it."

Nebs nodded and immediately s.h.i.+fted into the Sand Leopard shape. "Really awesome. I'll pay you for the extra form."

Nix shook his head. "My loyal Alpha Team fronted the credits for additional Emperor pets; there are always a few extras."

Nebs stalked around the room before leaping up on his workbench. "Thank you, Nix. I won't tell anyone for a while."

Nix couldn't help himself; he reached up and scratched her head. "I have two forms on mine also."

Nebs changed back to her human form and sat comfortably on the workbench. She ran a hand through her short black hair. "Gideon said that from now on, wherever you go, we're going too."

Nix added the puppet enhancements to his team's gear while Nebs watched. "Want to stay here in Ionova? It's not exciting, but we could use a City Administrator."

"I was hoping you'd ask me."

************

The thin teen sat her packages on the boardwalk and rerolled her sleeves that kept falling down. She had spent the day in Free Trader City buying different fabrics for a new outfit, so she didn't notice the three men who followed her from the gating platform.

"Hey, beautiful!" A dark-haired man, with an unshaven face, approached her; the smell of alcohol and body odor followed him.

Fey looked up and favored them with a tentative smile. "h.e.l.lo."

The two smaller men picked up her packages as if to help her, while the bearded man stepped closer. "Didn't we see you in Free Trader City? We can give you a hand with these packages."

"I'm staying at the new Inn at the City Center." Fey followed the group while they walked, a few blocks away they turned down an alleyway and increased their pace.

The bearded man smiled apologetically, "we are going to the Inn also, but we need to pick up our other friend first."

Fey frowned at the delay. "I'll take them by myself then, in a bit of a hurry since I need to get these to my Tailor."

A few blocks away, Bali and Ronnie were just coming back from the Turtle House, they were both in Dire Wolf form and were racing down the cobblestoned street. It was Bali who pulled up and stopped.

"Fey found some new friends?" Bali could smell the alcohol on them from a few blocks away. "This is going to be bad."

Ronnie wasn't used to the wolf senses, yet so she was still struggling. "Bad for who? Come on; this should be interesting."

The two wolves sprinted down the well-lit street and turned into the alley before skidding to a halt. Fey had managed to recover her packages, but she was backed up to the side of a stone building.

"Come on, let's play a bit." The bearded man motioned for his friends to spread out, and they formed a half-circle around the teen mage.

"Play?" Fey sat her packages against the wall and turned toward them. "What shall we play?"

The bearded man loosened his belt and stepped closer. "That's more like it. Why don't you take off those robes."

"Sure... Give me some room, please." Fey waited until they complied with her wishes and then spread her thin arms wide.

Garot smiled nastily when she spread her arms, unexpectedly they continued to stretch out until they became wings, and sixty feet of silver drakon appeared in her place. "Wh..."

Fey extended her finely scaled silver head until it nearly touched the bearded man's face. "I like games. Do you have a favorite?"

Garot dropped to his knees while his two companions abandoned him without a second thought and ran towards the gating platform. "I was only having f-fun. Please don't hurt me."

The drakon tilted her silver head slightly. "Hurt you? Why would I do that?"

The smell of fresh urine filled the air as Garot lost control of his bodily functions. "I'll just leave... Okay?"

Fey morphed back into her human form and picked up her packages. She carefully stepped around Garot, who was still on his knees. Her steps stopped when she saw a familiar face. "Ducky?"

Ducky was walking casually with the two men that had been with Garot. "Nix is waiting for that fabric, Fey; you should hurry."

Fey glanced at Ducky's companions. "Are you going to play with them?"

Ducky nodded. "I am. Hurry along."

The Water Witch waited until Fey was out of sight before turning back to Garot; he was just climbing to his feet.

Garot has been bewitched.

Ducky smiled sweetly. "Did someone ask you to follow Fey?"

Garot shook his head. "No, we saw her in Free Trader City and decided to have some fun."

Ducky leaned closer, her blue eyes uncommonly cold. "What kind of fun?"

Garot returned her smile. "We were going to take turns raping her and then hide her body before heading back to Free Trade City."

"I see." Ducky gestured to the two men with her. "These men are your friends?"

Garot nodded. "Yes, they follow me."

Ducky has released her hold on Garot.

The Water Witch leaned closer to the two accomplices. "Garot is a beautiful and willing woman, feel free to have your way with her."

"What?" Garot backed away and drew his dagger; his two friends did the same. Instead of fighting, he chose to flee toward the gate.

From across the street, the two wolves had resumed their human form and watched the entire episode play out.

"Holy c.r.a.p..." Ronnie's dark eyes danced with mischief. "Think he'll get away?"

Bali's pale face was beet red as she slowly nodded. "He's a bit faster than his friends. What the h.e.l.l was that?"

Ronnie pulled her by the arm in an effort to put some distance between themselves and the alley in question. "That was the elder Sister administering family justice."

The tiny ranger let out the breath she'd been holding. "Morti may be the strongest, but Ducky is way scarier."

Ronnie pursed her lips and considered their option. "Still too early to go to sleep. What you want to do?'

Bali turned toward the Gating platform. "We could head to Free Trader City and see if Garot got away.

Ronnie laughed at the little ranger. "You sly cat! Want to track him down?"

Bali nodded. "If he managed to get away, we should still teach him some manners."